Petrobras and Proquigel Química carried out the transfer of possession for the lease of the nitrogen fertilizer factories in Bahia (Fafen-BA) and Sergipe (Fafen-SE) today (08/04). This is the last step for the transfer of control of the assets, after the licenses and authorizations required by Organs regulatory agencies.

In addition to the factories, the agreement includes a promise to sublease the ammonia and urea marine terminals at the Port of Aratu, in Bahia. The contract was signed through a bidding process and followed the steps provided for in Federal Law 13,303 / 2016 (State-Owned Law) and in the Petrobras Bidding and Contracts Regulation. The contract allows Proquigel to control the units for a period of ten years, renewable for another ten years.

According to the Director of Refining and Natural Gas at Petrobras, Anelise Lara, the lease is in line with the company's capital portfolio management strategy, which will focus its investments in oil and gas production in deep and ultra-deep waters, mainly in the pre-salt layer. , where you get a better return on invested capital. The company believes that the entry of new players in the fertilizer segment could leverage the development of the region. “The lease will allow the operation of the two fertilizer factories to continue, which were hibernated, generating new jobs and attracting investments to the states of Bahia and Sergipe. Petrobras studied and suggested cost optimization alternatives for the transfer of the facilities to the future operator of the factories ”, highlights the director.

For the CEO of the Unigel Group, Roberto Noronha Santos, the reactivation of the two units is expected to occur as of January 2021, and should generate 1500 direct and indirect jobs in both states. “The reopening of the factories will heat up the economy and supply an important demand for inputs for agriculture, livestock and national industry, which, today, depends on imports from other countries. The expectation is that with the production of the two leased factories it will be possible to supply 20% of the national demand ”, he says.

About Proquigel 

Proquigel is a subsidiary of Unigel, whose main product lines are: acrylonitrile, methacrylate, mining products and fertilizers, being the largest national producer of ammonium sulfate. Unigel is a 100% Brazilian company and one of the largest petrochemical industries in the country, operating in the styrenics, acrylics and fertilizers businesses. It has industrial units in both Brazil and Mexico. Its customer base covers several industrial sectors such as: paper and cellulose, textiles, electronics, packaging, household appliances, construction, automotive, agribusiness, mining and the chemical industry, being active in Brazil and abroad.

About the units 

Fafen-BA is a nitrogen fertilizer unit with an installed urea production capacity of 1,300 t / day, being able to sell ammonia, carbon dioxide and automotive liquid reducing agent (Arla 32). The Sergipe unit has an installed urea production capacity of 1,800 t / day, being able to sell ammonia, carbon dioxide and ammonium sulfate (also used as a fertilizer).